It was the kind of emergency that freezes every adult in the room. A 1-year-old in Orange County began choking on Monday, and a frantic call for help brought Deputy Sergio Soares Lemos racing to the scene. Within seconds of taking the child into his arms and using textbook first-aid moves, the baby was crying again and breathing on their own. Officials say the infant is expected to recover after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Bodycam Captures the Rescue
Body-camera audio from the rescue captures Deputy Soares Lemos arriving and calmly but firmly saying, “Give me the baby,” as he takes the child from a panicked caregiver. He then places the infant belly-down along his left forearm and delivers a series of firm back blows with his right palm in an upward motion until the child starts making noises, then lets out a full-throated cry.
According to Action News Jax, the deputy radios that the child is “back” and “good” once the airway clears. The outlet’s coverage includes the bodycam audio and a minute-by-minute breakdown of how the response unfolded.
Sheriff's Office Praises Deputy
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office publicly thanked Deputy Soares Lemos in a social post, crediting his quick actions with saving the child’s life. The agency also confirmed the infant was transported to a local hospital and is expected to be OK.
The sheriff’s official site, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, highlights community programs and training for first responders, including medical-emergency response. It is the kind of preparation that can turn a terrifying 911 call into a story with a much better ending.
How Infant Choking Is Treated
Health experts say the basic steps Deputy Soares Lemos used, a sequence of back blows and chest thrusts, line up with standard first-aid guidance for a severely choking infant.
According to guidance from the Cleveland Clinic and recent recommendations from the American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, caregivers of babies under 1 year old should call 911 immediately if choking is suspected. While waiting for emergency help, they should give five back blows followed by five chest thrusts, repeating this cycle until the airway is cleared or the child becomes unresponsive. Even if the baby appears to recover, it is still important to have them evaluated by medical professionals afterward.
Families looking to get prepared before an emergency hits can find infant CPR and choking-response classes through the American Red Cross and local health providers. Basic training might be the difference between panic and a life-saving response.
